How many years does menopause last? How long does menopause last: what is accompanied by symptoms, features of the course. How long do hot flashes last in menopause. Health control

The onset of menopause in a woman cannot be prevented, prevented or stopped. This is a natural process of withering of the reproductive function of any female body, so it can only be facilitated and slightly slowed down. But at whatever age hormonal changes begin, any woman is interested in the question of how long the menopause lasts. This is not idle curiosity, but rather a desire to quickly overcome this stage, because the menopause is accompanied by rather unpleasant symptoms.

As the age of 40 approaches, the concentration of sex hormones in a woman's body decreases significantly, it is already more difficult to get pregnant, the skin becomes more flabby and rough, and the reserves of follicles in the ovaries are depleted. It is on the intensity of the decrease in the female hormone estrogen that depends on how long the menopausal period lasts.

For each representative of the fair sex, this period is individual, so it is very difficult to say exactly when the menopause ends.

Here are some general statistics:

• if menopause in women of your kind occurs, say, at the age of 40-41, then with a high degree of probability it is at this age that hormonal changes in your body can also begin;
• during menopause, most women gain a lot;
• very often in women during menopause there are emotional disorders;
• most often menopause occurs in the period 47-53 years;
• on average, menopause can last up to one and a half years.

How to understand that you have menopause?

Most women endure the onset of menopause without any special restrictions in their lives, 30% face problems that accompany hormonal changes in the body, and only 5% of the fair sex can be diagnosed with pathological menopause that lasts for many years.

The most famous and unpleasant symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, which cause intense heat, reddening of the upper body and the release of large amounts of sweat. Whatever the duration of menopause in women, hot flashes will accompany them throughout the entire period of time.

They last from a quarter to a minute and a half and are characterized by the following states:

• dots before the eyes;
• increased sweating;
• redness of the skin of the face, neck, chest and upper limbs;
• numbness of the limbs;
• chilliness after sweating;
• cardiopalmus.

All the time that menopause lasts, the woman's psyche and her nervous system are in a "suspended" state, hormonal changes can cause such disorders:

• sleep problems, insomnia;
• increased fatigue;
• causeless bouts of rage, irritation and aggression;
• may increase blood pressure;
• migraine headaches;
• decreased libido.

Diseases associated with menopause may also occur - diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, ischemia, cardiomyopathy.

The entire period of menopause in women, in the reproductive and urinary systems, unpleasant symptoms that bring discomfort may occur:

• burning during urination;
• inflammation in the uterus;
• enuresis, both at night and with light physical exertion;
• drying of the vaginal mucosa;
• itching and burning in the genitals.

If menopause occurs gradually, and not abruptly, such as surgical menopause, then the symptoms of this condition do not bring much discomfort. In general, the duration of menopause in women depends precisely on the complexity and intensity of its symptoms.

Consider the stages of menopause, their main symptoms and how long they all last.

premenopause

This is the first period of menopause, its main symptom is an altered menstrual cycle. On average, the onset of this stage falls on 40-45 years, and premenopause lasts 2-10 years, while the monthly cycle can behave completely differently all this time:

• the period between periods may increase, the discharge may also decrease;
• there may be, on the contrary, more abundant spotting during menstruation, which disappear in at least a week;
• the cycle may end. This is a rather rare case, but possible, when a woman’s periods disappear for no reason at all.

Menopause

The beginning of this stage is considered to be the last day of the last menstruation. At the same time, the production of sex hormones will already be irregular, and the function of the ovaries will be weakened. It is at this time that an exacerbation of symptoms occurs, lasting the entire period, how long menopause lasts, and this on average 2-5 years starting at age 55.

Whatever the duration of menopause, during this period a woman has the following symptoms:

• hot flashes, accompanied by a short-term rise in temperature, profuse sweating. Hot flashes usually end in 2-3 minutes;
• headache and insomnia. Most often, hot flashes occur at night, this causes sleep disturbance, and they can also be caused by nervous tension and constant migraines;
• how long the menopause lasts, how much the fair sex will be accompanied by emotionality and excessive nervous excitability. Mood swings, tearfulness and irritability, and this can all last for years;
• gynecological diseases are activated and manifested;
• the entire period of menopause in women, they will be accompanied by problems with the cardiovascular system (heart rhythm failure, arterial hypertension);
• no matter how old a woman was during the onset of menopause, she will definitely have memory problems, excessive fatigue and a decrease in libido.

To tell in more detail about the symptoms of menopause, how long this process lasts, and only a doctor can prescribe drugs that make you feel better, so at the first manifestations of menopause, you should go to a gynecologist.

No matter how long the menopause lasts, eventually its symptoms should completely disappear. This moment comes with the complete cessation of the activity of the ovaries and their shrinkage to a weight of 4 grams. To determine the beginning of postmenopause, you need to know when menopause began, how long this final period lasts depends on this starting point. It usually takes 5-7 years.

Postmenopause continues until the end of life, while there are no special symptoms during this period, there are final hormonal changes, accompanied by age-related diseases:

• increased risk of heart attack and stroke;
• vascular walls become thinner;
• calcium is washed out of the bones, contributing to the development of osteoporosis;
• immunity and the general tone of the body are greatly reduced.

How to prolong the youth of the female body?

Despite the fact that with the advent of menopause, the childbearing function of a woman has ended, her life does not end there, which means that it is necessary to maintain the normal state of the body and in every possible way help it cope with hormonal changes. To this end, it is necessary, at the very first symptoms of menopause, to consult a doctor who will choose the right therapy and, in addition to prescribing medication, will also tell about alternative methods of treatment.

In order for the menopause to go unnoticed for you, be sure to follow the following rules, they will also allow you to delay the onset of menopause, if you start doing them already at the initial stage:

• make a balanced diet the norm, remove smoked meats from the menu, consume less salt, marinades and fast carbohydrates. You need to eat more fiber;
• you can resort to massages and therapeutic baths;
• you need to play sports, walk more, climb the stairs, and not the elevator;
• use hormonal and herbal preparations;
• drink vitamin complexes, and also eat more foods containing vitamin E.

Women are the source of life, their body is able to endure and give birth to a child. But the reproductive function has its own shelf life, it is important to know what menopause is, how long it lasts and how it proceeds. Such information will allow a woman to prepare for age-related changes and meet menopause without psychological trauma.

Menopause is the age-related extinction of the female reproductive function. Due to the aging of the body, the ovaries do not produce enough inhibin, which affects the increase in the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and subsequently lutsinizing hormone (LH), which leads to the appearance of anovulatory cycles and complete atresia (reduction in size, reverse development without maturation) of the follicles .

In simple terms, a woman's menstrual cycle is disturbed: there is no blood discharge from the uterus and ovulation.

This phenomenon is often called ovarian sclerosis, when the cyclic secretion of progesterone and estradiol is disturbed. Obvious age-related changes usually begin after 35 years, when the time interval between periods increases, the scarcity of secretions is noticed. The older a woman becomes, the more clearly the symptoms of menopause manifest themselves. This process is also called androgenization, when the level of testosterone and other male hormones prevails over estrogen.

Reducing and stopping the production of sex steroids by the ovaries leads to functional and organic changes in organs and systems:

• uterus,
• mammary glands,
• urethra,
• Bladder,
• brain cells,
• myocardium,
• vessels.

In more than 50% of cases in a woman, a change in the secretion of sex steroids causes the so-called climate syndrome, when age-related changes become a pathology.

At the same time, an androgenic effect on the main body systems is observed:

• cardiovascular,
• nervous
• immune.

Menopause is a natural process that changes the female body. The state during this period will not necessarily be depressive and painful. There are ways to help the body cope with menopause and avoid climate syndrome.

Symptoms

During menopause, the female body loses its ability to conceive. Reproductive function is disturbed: from a decrease in the work of the ovaries to their complete extinction. In rare cases, the period of age-related changes passes smoothly and without symptoms.

Menopause is stress for a woman's body. Psychological depression and physiological signs are more often observed. Symptoms appear individually: gradually or abruptly. Much depends on the genetic predisposition and history of the patient.

These are the main symptoms that a woman describes at a doctor's appointment. However, there are also external changes: the appearance of more wrinkles on the face, loss of firmness and elasticity of the skin, dryness and brittle hair, loss of the shape of the mammary glands. The loss of external charm becomes a psychological trauma for a woman.

In addition, the patient may develop problems with the liver, kidneys and pancreas. The endocrine system also suffers, thyroid diseases develop. Some foods can cause symptoms such as epigastric pain, discomfort or spasms in the right hypochondrium.

Pigmentation spots appear on the face that do not go away. This is due to a violation of the melanin level. Wrinkles, pigmentation, hair loss negatively affect psychological health. A woman's self-esteem decreases, she loses interest in life, even shopping and other joys are not able to restore a good mood.

Psychological changes:

• apathy;
• irritability and nervousness;
• development of depression;
• decrease in self-esteem;
• tearfulness.

Migraine often develops against the background of menopause, leg cramps, pain in the joints appear. This is due to a lack of calcium in the body. During hormonal changes and the cessation of the production of antiandrogens, dizziness, deterioration in the quality of memory and concentration are observed.

Stages of menopause

Age-related changes catch the patient suddenly. None of the experts can say exactly when menopause will begin and how quickly it will progress. This process is lengthy, sometimes it can take up to 10 years.

The development of stages depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Pay attention to how women in the family grew old on the maternal side, how they behaved and reacted to changes. Each patient will go through three climacteric stages.

premenopause

Eggs begin to be produced gradually in smaller numbers after 35 years. However, a woman under 45 is still able to bear and give birth to a healthy child. It will be more difficult for her to do this than for a young girl; strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations and more frequent laboratory monitoring will be required.

Premenopause is the process of reducing a woman's reproductive function. This period begins after 45 years. In this case, the ovaries produce female sex hormones, but in smaller quantities. The duration of the cycle can increase, vary from 30 to 90 days.

The main signs of premenopause:

• lengthening the time interval between periods;
• there is scarcity and less intensity of secretions;
• color changes to brown;
• estrogen levels decrease.

Thus, the body prepares for the next stage - menopause. A gradual decrease in hormones helps to avoid hyperandrogenism - a sharp drop in androgens. Testosterone and estrogen jumps in the results of the analysis confirm the beginning of the premenopausal stage.

Menopause

The full menopause is often referred to as menopause. However, this is only the main phase, the middle stage. The menopause period begins in a woman at about 50-55 years of age. Few people know how long menopause lasts - the duration of the stage usually does not exceed more than 1 year.

Menopause is the complete cessation of the action of the ovaries, the development of their dysfunction. A woman's periods completely disappear, the conception of a child becomes impossible. Even the skeletal system is subject to change.

Signs of menopause:

• complete absence of menstruation;
• pain in bones and joints;
• the appearance of convulsions in the lower extremities;
• tachycardia and other cardiovascular abnormalities.

Often, diabetes and obesity become companions of menopause. However, by controlling the level of sugar and correcting nutrition, the appearance of pathologies can be prevented. The menopausal transition is also characterized by urogenital problems and the appearance of VVD syndrome (vegetative-vascular dystonia).

Postmenopause

The final stage of age-related changes in a woman is postmenopause. This is the end of the stage of hormonal restructuring of body systems. At the same time, the level of estrogen drops by 2 times, most of the unpleasant symptoms of menopause disappear.

The last period is, as it were, resignation to the inevitability of life. A woman becomes more emotionally stable, headaches disappear, general fatigue is eliminated. Often, the fair sex feel a new surge of strength and thirst for life.

Period length statistics

How many years menopause can last is an individual figure. The process of turning a woman into a grandmother takes about 10-20 years. Pay attention to female relatives, how they look and feel. From hereditary factors, one can presumably calculate the course of one's own menopause.

Approximate periods of how long menopause lasts for women:

1. Premenopause. It occurs after 40-45 years, the duration of changes lasts for a long time - from 2 to 10 years.
2. menopause. It is observed after 50-55 years, lasts about 12 months.
3. Postmenopause. It begins after 55 years and continues until the end of life.

Do not give up and wait for old age. Modern cosmetic possibilities will help preserve the youthfulness of the face and skin, restore the beauty of the hair. Medications eliminate the symptoms of menopause, helping to more easily transfer age-related pressure on the body.

Factors affecting duration

The hormonal changes that occur during menopause can last up to five years before menopause. This time is necessary for the adaptation of the female body to new conditions. The doctor will offer to undergo a diagnosis of the body to confirm the alleged diagnosis.

The slower the ovaries reduce the level of estrogen, the easier it is tolerated by the body. The period of adaptation to a new hormonal level is difficult. Chronic comorbidities, psychological instability, or hormonal disorders can speed up the process.

It will also not be easy for smokers and people with other bad habits. Alcohol and drugs not only adversely affect health, but also provoke the development of early aging. Also at risk are nulliparous women.

Most of all, the duration of menopause and other stages depends on hereditary predisposition. Many gynecologists believe that the earlier a girl has her first menstruation, the faster menopause will come. However, this theory has not received scientific confirmation.

Negative environmental factors affecting the duration of the menopausal period:

• the influence of stress and nervous work, a tense situation at home;
• the presence of psychosomatic diseases;
• lack of weight;
• the number of pregnancies and births;
• bad habits;
• ecology.

The development of the aging process of reproductive function ahead of time is called premature ovarian exhaustion. Such a pathology can happen even by the age of 36, if the woman's mother had a similar syndrome.

Early menopause lasts against the background of a young, adequately functioning female body. Sudden estrogen deficiency causes a kind of shock, so it is important for a woman to be tested for hormones every year and pass. The body is not ready for such changes, which is accompanied by severe symptoms.

What else affects the duration of menopause and its onset:

• concomitant chronic diseases;
• metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes);
• heredity;
• endocrine diseases (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism);
• brain injury;
• mental and psychosomatic deviations;
• lack of vitamins and minerals;
• cancerous lesions of internal organs;
• surgical intervention, surgical treatment of the ovaries;
• intrauterine severe infections.

Among the chronic diseases that can affect premature aging are serious pathologies of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. With inflammatory processes in the ovaries at a young age and with untimely treatment of the problem, there is a risk of early menopause.

Ways to delay the onset of menopause

How to deal with aging - an effective way has not yet been found. If cosmetic procedures help to increase the elasticity of the skin, then it is impossible to cope with the extinction of fertility. This is an inevitable aging process.

But there are methods that help women delay ovarian failure and stay young and happy longer. It's a simple lifestyle adjustment. Proper nutrition, small ones will help not only stay in shape, but also live long.

Methods to help delay the onset of menopause:

1. Vitamin E. It increases skin elasticity and helps produce more collagen. It is found in cereals, nuts, lettuce and greens.
2. Cellulose. Intestinal slagging is a pollution of the whole organism. Bran bread, cereals, fruits and vegetables help to normalize the digestion process and get rid of excess.
3. Rejection of salt. It is also recommended to remove sausages, smoked meats and other harmful semi-finished products from the diet.
4. Reducing carbohydrates. This technique will help to avoid the development of diabetes and the appearance of excess weight.
5. Walk more. Do not forget that movement is life. Hiking daily helps to maintain a high metabolism and accelerate blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
6. Compliance with the doctor's recommendations. A specialist may advise taking estrogen-progestin drugs that maintain hormonal stability.
7. emotional stability. It is necessary to avoid stressful situations and look for a positive emotional mood.

A woman should not perceive menopause as the end of life. Psychologists recommend finding a hobby, going on a trip, or just a change of scenery. To feel attractive, you need to take trips to spas and shopping.

Relief of unpleasant symptoms

In the postmenopausal stage, there are no longer constant headaches, frequent seizures and other unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Such symptoms manifest themselves individually, some patients do not even feel changes in the body.

However, most women have a hard time enduring menopause. Relatives and close people who support and help to distract from negative thoughts can help to survive this time. Often, against the background of menopause, severe depression develops.

How to relieve menopause symptoms:

1. Decreased meat consumption. This rule is especially true for red varieties. It is better to enrich your diet with fresh vegetables and fruits.
2. Refusal from caffeine. Replace your usual morning coffee and strong tea with herbal decoction with honey and lemon. This method will also help to increase the immune defense of the human body.
3. Rejection of bad habits. It is quite difficult for older people to quit smoking, so at least try to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke.
4. Consumption of dairy products. Include cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt and fermented baked milk in your diet. Also in pure milk contains calcium, which saves from pain in the bones.
5. Daily regime. If a woman is not yet retired, then she should rest longer. Give up physical overload, spend your free time for your pleasure.
6. Physical activity. Age is not a hindrance to sports, but it is better to consult a doctor or work with a personal trainer. Also keep an eye on your heart rate and blood pressure.

Such methods help to stop the symptoms of menopause and mitigate its manifestation. For severe headaches, you can take a pill. Treatment of migraine, joint diseases and other associated pathologies is carried out under medical supervision.

Drug methods for alleviating menopausal syndrome:

1. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This is an individual method of treatment, which is selected according to the results of laboratory tests. After undergoing a complete diagnosis, the gynecologist assesses the degree of shortage of certain hormones, prescribes estrogen-gestagenic drugs and progesterone-based drugs.
2. Non-hormonal treatment. This is the use of dietary supplements, herbal tablets, vitamin-mineral complexes and other means that can affect the reduction in the severity of menopause symptoms. In most cases, these supplements are an adjunct to hormone therapy.
3. Sedatives. They help eliminate tachycardia, cardiovascular disorders and stabilize the emotional state. In complicated cases, the patient is shown antidepressants, tranquilizers or antipsychotics.
4. Psychotherapy. Don't underestimate verbal support. Sometimes an explanation of elementary physiological processes helps to accept the changes that are taking place. Especially if they happen to all the fair sex. Turning to a psychologist and psychotherapist helps to understand your own body.

The main thing is to accept yourself for who you are. A real man will love a woman with her wrinkles, short haircut and even slight vulnerability. In the eyes of a loved one, his companion will always remain young and beautiful.

Video

Learn about mental preparation for menopause to feel like an attractive woman again.

Menopause is the time when a woman's menstrual cycles stop. In connection with the transition to menopause, hormonal changes occur in the body, which affect her well-being and have various manifestations.

The average age of women during menopause is 51 years. The average duration is from 48 to 55 years. About 1% of women experience a premature onset of this condition, when the first signs of menopause appear already before the age of 40.

The onset of menopause occurs earlier in women who smoke, have never been pregnant, or live in high altitude conditions.

The hormonal changes associated with menopause (menopause) usually begin 4-5 years before the last menstrual bleeding, this time is called premenopause. Women begin to experience the first symptoms of menopause, even if their periods are still normal.

The period of premenopause and the year after it are united by the concept of "perimenopause". Postmenopause is the time that begins with menopause and lasts until about 70 years of age (up to 5 years - early, after that - late postmenopause).

Menopause is the moment when a woman does not have a period for a year. However, the menopause preceding the cessation of menstruation and continuing after that has a different duration and in some women it can last up to 10 years.

Menopause usually occurs after the age of 45 - 50 years. If it occurs before the age of 45, it is called early, and before 40 it is called premature. Most of these patients develop climacteric syndrome.

late menopause

It occurs in women over the age of 55. The reasons are usually hidden in genetic characteristics; it is almost impossible to artificially delay the onset of menopause. The danger of this condition lies in the increased risk of oncological formations of the ovaries and mammary glands, because these are estrogen-dependent tumors.

Therefore, with the continued secretion of sex hormones, the likelihood of such diseases increases. To prevent negative consequences, every woman, regardless of age, should undergo an annual examination by a gynecologist, and also do a mammogram on time.

Surgical menopause

The cessation of menstrual bleeding in this case is associated with the removal of the ovaries. This may be necessary for diseases such as ovarian cancer, polycystosis, ovarian endometriosis, advanced inflammation of the genital organs, tuberculosis.

After surgery, an artificial menopause occurs, while its symptoms begin suddenly and develop rapidly. To avoid this condition, immediately after the operation, it is necessary to start taking hormonal drugs that will mimic the normal cycle.

If the uterus is preserved, then with an intermittent intake regimen, menstruation will also be preserved. Menopause after removal of the uterus often occurs with the simultaneous removal of the ovaries. Such an operation is necessary for endometriosis, tumors, prolapse of the genital organs.

Briefly about menopause

Climax is a rather long period of time, which consists of stages smoothly passing one into another. Since each female body is unique, the entire period as a whole, as well as its constituent phases, do not have clear boundaries.

It is impossible to answer a simple question in monosyllables: “how long does menopause last”.

In the body of a woman all the time there are some changes. When entering adulthood, which occurs after 40 years, the decline of the reproductive system begins. The ovaries gradually "fall asleep" and less female sex hormones are produced. This leads first to irregular periods, and then to their complete cessation.

The woman can no longer bear a child. Due to the weakened function of the ovaries in the body, hormonal failure occurs, which is reflected in the activity of the whole organism. Many mistakenly believe that only the reproductive system ceases to function. But it is not.

A decrease in the amount of sex hormones significantly affects the metabolism, as well as the functioning of the nervous and skeletal systems. During menopause, the body gradually rebuilds its work under the changing hormonal background.

Each stage has its own symptoms, approximate time periods, as well as features of the state of the female body. We will describe each stage in detail.

How long can menopause last for women?

It is not known exactly what causes hot flashes, but scientists are trying to find their cause. There is clear evidence that hot flashes are the result of hormonal changes in a woman's body. Their association with other health problems, such as diabetes, is also under study.

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are thought to increase the number of hot flashes. Some women hardly notice the hot flashes and do not see them as discomfort. For others, the intensity of "hot flashes" significantly changes the quality of life in a negative direction.

Many factors influence the approach of menopause. The most common causes of menopause are:

• body features transmitted from parents;
• poor environmental conditions;
• problems with the thyroid gland;
• ionizing radiation;
• stressful situations;
• alcohol abuse and excessive smoking;
• gynecological operations;
• taking medications that lead to disturbances in the functioning of the reproductive organs.

Menopause occurs due to complex complex hormonal changes. First of all, with the onset of this period, a decrease in the number of active eggs in the ovaries is associated. At birth, women have from 1 to 3 million eggs, by the time a girl begins her period, there are usually about 400,000 of them. By the time of menopause, about 10,000 eggs remain.

A small percentage of eggs are lost during the monthly ovulation of the menstrual cycle. Most of them undergo atresia (degeneration and subsequent resorption of immature ovarian follicles).

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is responsible for the growth of follicles in the first half of the menstrual cycle. As menopause approaches, the eggs become less and less sensitive to this hormone, and the ovaries dramatically reduce estrogen production.

During menopause, the number of eggs decreases very quickly, and after the cessation of menstruation, single follicles remain, and then they disappear.

Estrogens (female hormones) affect many parts of the body, including blood vessels, heart, bones, mammary glands, uterus, urinary system, skin, and brain. Decreased estrogen levels are thought to be the cause of many menopausal symptoms.

By nature itself, the gradual completion of the reproductive mission is laid down. To answer the question of how long menopause lasts in women, you need to consider the dynamics of the development of menopausal restructuring of the body.

Modern medicine distinguishes 3 stages of menopause:

1. Premenopause is the initial stage of menopausal changes. The average age of the first menopausal symptoms occurs at 45 years. It was at this time that the characteristic symptoms of menopause are noted, although internal changes that do not manifest themselves outwardly in any way start at the age of 35-40 years, when the production of female sex hormones by the ovaries gradually begins to decrease. But premenopause begins its countdown precisely from the registration of the first symptoms. As a rule, at this time there are failures in the menstrual cycle, a woman has episodes of hot flashes, headache attacks become more frequent, and signs of psycho-emotional instability appear. The duration of this period is individual for each case, but on average it varies from 2 to 5 years, in rare cases dragging on for a whole decade.
2. Menopause is the main stage of menopause. This is the time of the most significant changes. There is an active restructuring of the reproductive system, the production of sex hormones by the ovaries tends to zero, ovulation gradually stops and menstruation completely disappears. Many women have pronounced menopausal symptoms: emotional lability occurs, intense attacks of hot flashes, insomnia, sweating, sexual interest in a partner often decreases, memory and concentration deteriorate. During this period, signals of trouble from all systems and organs may appear, especially if there are any chronic diseases. Only about 10% of women go through this period of life relatively asymptomatically. Menopause usually occurs at age 50 and is considered complete when a year has passed since the last menstrual period.
3. Postmenopause is the final stage of menopause. Its duration is limited by the life of a woman. Pathological symptoms are gradually smoothed out, although they may remind of themselves for another 3-5 years. At this time, external and internal age-related changes become more pronounced. The reproductive system enters a phase of complete rest, the synthesis of hormones by the ovaries finally stops, a certain amount of estrogens continues to be produced by peripheral structures. Atrophic phenomena gradually cover the work of all organs and systems.

If we combine the above indicators, then the answer to the question of how long menopause can last is as follows: the average duration of active menopausal changes is about 5-6 years. And then comes the postmenopausal period.

The process of normalizing a stable temperature regime depends on several factors:

• general tone of the vascular system in the body. These include all the vessels of the body, including the vessels of the mucous systems and superficial skin;
• disruption of the endocrine system. Affect the work of the thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, which, in turn, can provoke malfunctions in the cardiovascular system and thermoregulation processes;
• malfunction of the hypothalamus(a part of the brain), the function of which includes the processes of maintaining a stable body temperature.

NOTE!

Malfunctions of various organs and the presence of concomitant diseases, hormonal surges can cause systematic hot flashes in women.

Hot flashes that are not associated with menopause may be temporary due to the state of the hormonal background at a certain moment or period of time.

Violation of thermoregulation in this case can occur due to:

• pregnancy. During pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, there are drastic hormonal changes. The hormone estrogen decreases, adrenaline is released. This circumstance causes vasodilation and an increase in temperature;
• menstruation. Hot flashes during menstruation that occur at age 30 or more are harbingers of early menopause. Maybe the ovaries are broken. Sometimes during menstruation, hormonal changes occur that contribute to the occurrence of hot flashes;
• eating spicy food. Flavor tides occur due to the effect of spicy food on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, which provoke the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. There is sweating and a short-term increase in body temperature;
• the effects of alcohol. Alcohol in small quantities is not able to cause profuse sweating, although a feeling of heat due to the effect of alcohol on the vessels may occur. When drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, the body tries to cope with a large amount of toxins by releasing them with liquid, therefore, in this situation, profuse sweating and fever occur.

In addition to hot flashes that occur due to temporary phenomena, there may be violations of thermoregulation that cause systematic hot flashes. You can get rid of them only after curing the disease that provokes an increase in body temperature.

Features of menopause

Premenopause is, in fact, the start of the menopause. As a rule, the premenopausal state begins in women after 40 years. Sometimes, it comes at an earlier age and we can talk about an early menopause.

Its main symptom is irregular periods. In addition, the menstrual cycle itself changes. A woman may have frequent periods, or vice versa, delays. Sometimes menstruation is acyclic.

In this case, they can start any day. The amount of blood also changes: there may be scanty (spotting) or heavy menstrual bleeding lasting 7-8 days.

This stage is marked by atrophic changes (weight loss) in the tissues of all organs of the reproductive system. The ovaries deplete the reserves of follicles.

They produce less and less estrogen, an important hormone for both menstrual function and metabolism. This leads to hormonal imbalance. Therefore, women tend to refer to the menopausal state as premenopausal symptoms.

The duration of this phase directly depends on hereditary predisposition. Ask your mother and grandmother about all the nuances of the menopause stages they have.

Having received exhaustive answers, you will have an idea of ​​​​the estimated age of onset of all stages of your menopause, as well as how it will go and with what symptoms.

This is the first period of menopause, its main symptom is an altered menstrual cycle. On average, the onset of this stage occurs at 40-45 years, and premenopause lasts 2-10 years, while the monthly cycle can behave completely differently all this time:

• the period between periods may increase, the discharge may also decrease;
• there may be, on the contrary, more abundant spotting during menstruation, which disappear in at least a week;
• the cycle may end. This is a rather rare case, but possible, when a woman’s periods disappear for no reason at all.

Premenopause is the phase that precedes menopause. During this period, the activity of the ovaries gradually decreases. Sex hormones are produced in a smaller volume, menstruation goes out of the usual rhythm.

Symptoms of this period are also the following:

• sweat is intensely secreted;
• menstruation occurs less frequently, the intervals between them increase to 3 months or more;
• throws in a fever, the skin turns red;
• pulse quickens;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• there is dryness, itching in the vagina;
• mental disorders occur.

The stage of premenopause lasts from 1 to 7 years, depending on the influence of the above factors.

The onset of menopause and its course is accompanied by a number of specific symptoms. One of the most characteristic is the violation of thermoregulation. It manifests itself as hot flashes during menopause. This condition can be quite severe and severe. Therefore, it is important to know how to reduce its severity or get rid of it.

Definition

Why does it get hot during menopause? Also during this period, increased sweating may occur. This is due to violations of thermoregulation in the body. Nerve cells and hormones take part in the mechanism of thermoregulation.

There, in the hypothalamus, hormones transmit this signal throughout the body. As a result, the metabolism and other processes adjust to the new environmental conditions. With menopause, significant hormonal changes occur. Because of them, the body temporarily loses the ability to transmit signals about changes normally.

As a result, hot flashes develop, accompanied by increased sweating. The "reverse side" of this is the appearance of chills. It also occurs as a result of changes in signals due to hormonal failure.

Symptoms

What are tides? This is a complex of symptoms that appear all together or separately, almost instantly. The tide is accompanied by such manifestations:

1. Feeling of heat in the upper body;
2. Very strong sweating, which began abruptly and without the influence of external factors (for example, heat);
3. An increased heartbeat may or may not be present;
4. Sometimes there is also a general weakness;
5. In rare cases, the phenomenon is accompanied by dizziness;
6. Sometimes there is a feeling of causeless anxiety;
7. Quite often there is also nausea, up to vomiting.

Such heat during menopause lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. Characteristically, after this period, he immediately turns into a chill.

The reasons

As mentioned above, the main reason why hot flashes occur during menopause is a hormonal imbalance, as a result of which thermoregulation worsens. Hormones transmit a distorted signal, as a result of which the body reacts abnormally, accelerating all processes.

Climax without tides is almost never complete. However, they may vary in severity. It depends on external factors, which will be discussed below. And also from the characteristics of the organism and heredity.

If a woman has previously experienced some problems with thermoregulation, then frequent hot flashes during menopause will develop with a high degree of probability. There is also a hereditary predisposition to such disorders.

There are a number of factors against which it can be especially difficult to get rid of hot flashes. They are considered provocative. These factors include:

• Ambient temperature - most often, tides during menopause are observed in the hot season;
• The temperature of drinks, food, water in the shower, i.e., the state can occur with any interaction with high temperatures;
• Stuffy, smoky room, lack of oxygen;
• Daytime and nighttime hot flashes in menopause can occur when a woman takes fat-burning drugs that speed up metabolism in order to lose weight;
• If any medicine is taken (not for relieving menopausal symptoms), then this can also affect the course of symptoms;
• Significant physical activity can also have a negative impact;
• Synthetic, too tight, uncomfortable clothes or underwear provoke the onset of a pathological condition;
• There are hot flashes with severe stress, emotional upheavals, etc. phenomena;
• The use of drinks that affect the nervous system is coffee, alcohol, energy drinks.

It is easier to deal with hot flashes if the influence of all provoking factors is excluded. In their presence, hot flush remedies may not be effective at all.

Duration

How long do hot flashes last during menopause? The duration of the attack, usually, is no more than a few minutes, during which the woman is covered with sweat.

Almost immediately after the age of forty, women begin to think with excitement about the upcoming test - menopause. Most have heard a lot of bad things about this phenomenon: mood swings, hot flashes, sweating, dizziness, sleep disturbances, fatigue and decreased performance ... Who will be pleased with such a prospect? But, as they say, resistance is futile.

Photo - photobank Lori

What is a climax?

With age, the reproductive system of a woman begins to gradually “fold” its functions. The menstrual cycle, which regulates the entire life of the female body, becomes irregular, menstruation comes less and less until it stops completely.

The climax is divided into three phases:

• premenopause. Premenopause is characterized by menstrual irregularities, heavy menstruation.
• Menopause. It is stated when menstruation is absent throughout the year.
• Postmenopause. The period after the onset of menopause, when menstruation stopped completely. In the first five years of postmenopause, the body feels especially estrogen deficiency, which affects all systems: bone, muscle, cardiovascular, urogenital.

At what age does menopause occur?

Most women experience menopause around age 50. But a third of healthy women have an early menopause - around 45 years old, and every fifth woman has a late menopause, after 55 years.

The age of menopause depends on various factors: heredity, past gynecological diseases, the number of pregnancies and childbirth, general health. Prolonged stress and bad habits can bring the onset of menopause closer.

What are the signs of menopause?

First of all, these are menstrual cycle failures. Menstruation becomes rarer, but also more plentiful. In addition, the usual symptoms of menopause are as follows:

• "Tides"- short (from several seconds to several minutes) attacks of heat, excessive sweating, tachycardia. There may be tingling in the fingertips. At the end of the tide, a woman may feel a sharp feeling of cold.
• dizziness. They are caused by jumps in blood pressure caused by hormonal changes.
• Sleep disorders. This is a very unpleasant symptom - at night a woman is tormented by insomnia, and during the day she is overcome by drowsiness.
• Mood swings, emotional instability. These symptoms are similar to what happens with. Some women have bouts of anxiety and fear, tearfulness, irritability.

In postmenopausal women, other symptoms related to different body systems may also be felt:

• Thinning and flabbiness of the skin, the appearance of age spots
• Head hair loss, facial hair growth
• Vaginal dryness and decreased sex drive
• Urinary incontinence (especially when laughing), genital itching
• Osteoporosis - increased bone fragility due to calcium leaching from the body, decreased height of a woman, joint pain, stoop, increased likelihood of fractures
• Problems in the cardiovascular system
• Headaches, shortness of breath, shortness of breath. Intolerance to heat and stuffiness

How long does the climax last?

Premenopause, that is, the first period of menopause, can last 8-10 years. Menopause is the absence of menstruation for 12 months. Then comes postmenopause, which lasts until the end of life. If the first signs of menopause occur at the age of 50, then with a life expectancy of 80 years, menopause lasts long enough. But the most unpleasant symptoms accompany menopause during premenopause and menopause, that is, at a time when the ovaries gradually stop working and the body experiences hormonal changes.

Is it possible to delay the climax?

It is possible to delay the onset of menopause. To do this, you need to lead an active lifestyle, play sports, adhere to a healthy diet, avoid bad habits.

Late pregnancy and the birth of a child around 40 years old can contribute to the renewal of the functions of the female body. In women with many children, the ovaries are less worn out (due to periods of "rest" during pregnancy and childbirth), and therefore they are able to work a little longer than in nulliparous women.

How to reduce the symptoms of menopause?

For severe symptoms of menopause, the doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy.

Tatyana Vladimirovna Trubina, obstetrician-gynecologist of the network of reproduction and genetics centers "Nova Clinic" comments.

- Do I need to see a doctor if a woman notices the symptoms of menopause?

Yes, if there are menopausal symptoms, making an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist, no doubt, makes sense. The therapy recommended by the doctor will help not only improve the quality of life, allowing a woman to smoothly move into a new state for her, but also reduce the risk of developing various diseases caused by a lack of sex hormones.

- How often are prescribed medications to help survive menopause? What is their action based on?

Therapy is required if the quality of life of the patient is reduced due to the symptoms of menopause. However, there is no general recipe that suits everyone at once. At the initial appointment, the doctor asks the woman the necessary questions and prescribes an examination that can be completed in a few days. Based on the history and the results obtained, the doctor determines if there are any contraindications to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and selects the appropriate drugs.

HRT allows you to make up for the lack of your own sex hormones, the concentration of which decreases during this period of a woman's life, by prescribing optimal doses of drugs.

- Are there any contraindications to taking these drugs?

Some women are afraid of HRT, because they heard that such therapy has a number of limitations. However, in reality, there are not so many absolute contraindications. These include, in particular, oncological diseases of the endometrium, ovaries or breast, acute deep vein thrombosis or acute thromboembolism in history, cutaneous porphyria, certain liver pathologies, as well as allergies to drug components.

There are also relative contraindications, including migraine, epilepsy and a number of other disorders.

The doctor decides on the advisability of HRT after the examination, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

Can menopause symptoms be reduced without medication?

If for some reason (for example, when certain contraindications are identified) hormone replacement therapy is not recommended, the doctor may suggest non-specific methods of treatment.

Dosed doses can be used as monotherapy in the presence of menopausal symptoms. Naturally, we will not be able to replenish the level of estrogens, but it has been proven that we can correct the negative manifestations of the menopausal syndrome (mood swings, frequency of hot flashes, changes in body weight, skin and hair condition) in this way. To achieve a positive effect, women need to attend cardio training at least 3-4 times a week.

There are also plant estrogens. They can be prescribed to those women who are absolutely contraindicated in hormones. With the help of these drugs, it is possible to level the severity of vegetative symptoms (hot flashes, swelling, decreased mood, headache). Additionally, neurological therapy may be recommended.

All postmenopausal women are at risk for developing osteoporosis varying degrees of severity. If HRT is prescribed in a timely manner, we compensate for calcium deficiency. If the moment is missed (for example, 10-15 years have passed since the complete cessation of menstruation) or there are contraindications to HRT, a woman should be examined for osteopenia (a pathology characterized by a decrease in mineral density and bone volume). After that, the doctor prescribes either a special replacement therapy for the prevention of osteoporosis, or in isolation. calcium preparations.

- There are reports in the media that menopausal hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer. So maybe it's better to be patient?

There is no scientific data confirming that HRT provokes the development of breast cancer.

For the risk of developing breast cancer, a family history is necessarily revealed. Predisposition is easy to check by passing a genetic analysis for the presence of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. With these results, you can already make an appointment with a doctor who will make an informed decision on the advisability of using HRT.

- You said that HRT perfectly relieves the symptoms of menopause, and also protects against osteoporosis. But if you think logically, because the body does not reduce the production of hormones by chance, apparently it is so conceived by nature. And we artificially add them. But women somehow endured menopause at a time when there were no artificial hormones? Of course, many women died quite early, but many lived to a ripe old age. For example, Sofia Tolstaya lived for 75 years, Polina Viardot for 88 years, Anna Dostoevskaya for 71 years.

The feasibility of HRT lies in the treatment of complications of menopause. That is, you can live up to 90 years, the question is with what quality of life. Possible outcomes: heart attacks, strokes; diabetes; osteoporosis. All these conditions significantly reduce the quality of life, and their consequences are not comparable, for example, with hot flashes. It is important to note that the level and pace of life, employment, activity, social functions of women of the time of Viardot and the modern woman are very different. The level of medical knowledge has also grown significantly.

* On August 30, 2019, The Daily Telegraph newspaper published the results of a study by scientists from Oxford University. After studying the health data of 100,000 women over 50 years of age, experts found that the risk of breast cancer in patients aged 50 to 59 who did not resort to HRT was 6.3%, and in those who took estrogen and progestogen was much higher and equaled 8.3%. Moreover, those who took hormones for 10 years, the risk of developing cancer increased by almost two times compared with women who sat on HRT for five years. About it

Content

In the life of any woman, there comes a stage when the reproductive function fades or menopause (menopause) occurs. The duration of this interval depends on the individual characteristics of the female body. The average duration of menopause is 15 months.

What is climacteric syndrome

The physiological period of cessation of menstrual and childbearing functions is often called menopausal syndrome. The reason for the development of this stage is a gradual decrease in the activity and amount of estrogens (sex hormones), which provoke the production of the pituitary hormone. The climacteric period is divided into 3 stages:

• Premenopause. precedes the cessation of menstruation. How long does the menopause last at this stage? As a rule, the duration of the stage is from 3 to 7 years.
• Actually menopause. The phase that occurs after the end of menstrual bleeding.
• Postmenopause. This time is determined by the complete cessation of the ovaries.

Many ladies are often interested in how long does the menopause last? It is impossible to answer this question precisely, since everything depends on the individual development of the organism. Although in the normal course of menopause passes for a year. The severity of the symptoms of menopausal syndrome depends on the characteristics of the female body. The main signs of the onset of menopause are:

• headache;
• sweating;
• pressure drops;
• apathy;
• cardiopalmus;
• vaginal dryness;
• burning and discomfort when urinating;
• itching in the vagina;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• sleep disturbance;
• decreased sex drive.

How long does menopause last in premenopausal women?

It is known that the premenopausal phase is the time preceding the onset of menopause, during which the production of sex hormones produced by the ovaries decreases in a woman. How long does menopause last in premenopause? The duration of the period averages from one to 7 years. The stage begins after 45 years with a change in the intensity and duration of menstruation. The onset of menopause is a great stress for the adrenal glands, since they are responsible for the independent production of estrogen (without the ovaries). The state of premenopause is accompanied by:

• increased sweating;
• hot flashes;
• rare menstruation;
• rapid heartbeat;
• itching and dryness of the vagina;
• frequent urination.

How long is the menopausal period

The stage when the last menstruation occurs is called menopause. In this phase, the level of progesterone drops to almost zero, the ovaries stop producing estrogens. On average, menopause occurs at the age of 50, although some factors (smoking, alcoholism) contribute to its onset 3 or 4 years earlier. The menopausal period lasts from one to three years. As a rule, according to its duration and premenopause, women calculate how long menopause lasts. Changes during menopause can go like this:

• weight increases;
• fat deposits appear in the waist area;
• frequent dizziness occurs;
• the cervix becomes inflamed;
• disease such as osteoporosis.

How long does menopause last?

The final period, when the ovaries no longer work, but at the same time atrophic changes occur in the uterus, is called postmenopause. This stage can be determined and ascertained if no menstruation was observed during the year. It will last until the end of life. During the postmenopausal period, the production of male hormones may increase, estrone prevails over estradiol, so there is a risk of developing tumors. Main symptoms:

• sleep disturbance;
• hot flashes;
• mood swings;
• sweating;
• emotional swings.

How is menopause in women

Changes in hormonal levels affect the physical and psychological state of a woman. Half of the female population endures menopause easily, but the remaining 50% may experience pain and discomfort. At the same time, no one can accurately determine how long menopause lasts for women, since genetic factors, habits, and working conditions influence the onset of menopause. But the symptoms are almost always the same:

• skin redness;
• flushes of heat;
• decreased libido;
• profuse sweating;
• chills;
• headache;
• increased irritability;
• insomnia.

Change in the menstrual cycle

The regularity of menstruation during menopause and how they go directly depends on the functioning of the female body, her health, environmental conditions, surgeries, etc. For each woman, this process proceeds differently. At first, the discharge is irregular, there may be failures, then menstruation stops altogether. The delay period can reach several months. Menstruation during menopause can occur in several ways:

• The cessation is gradual. Allocations are scarce, the interval between cycles becomes longer. This condition can last from one to three years.
• Sudden stop of menstruation. It may be painless.
• Resumption of discharge after a long period. Gradually, the break will become longer and there will be a complete cessation of menstruation.

How long do hot flashes last during menopause

Many women endure menopausal syndrome easily, without experiencing any particular discomfort or pain. However, some of the fairer sex feel bad during menopause. The most common symptoms of the onset of menopause are hot flashes, which cause serious physical and psychological discomfort to a woman. Hot flashes are a momentary sensation of warmth accompanied by heat and sweating. The cause of their occurrence is the expansion of blood vessels near the surface of the skin.

The duration and intensity of hot flashes in different women depends on individual characteristics. Some may experience them for only one year, others do not feel discomfort at all, and others have to put up with them for many years. The duration of such phenomena can be from one to 2 minutes, in rare cases up to an hour. Gradually, the severity of such ailments is reduced.

Video

Did you find an error in the text?
Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we'll fix it!